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15 Rural Entrepreneurs Tell Their Stories! PRAXIS 15 rural entrepreneurs tell their stories! PRAXIS-2007-EN.indd 1 21-12-2006 20:07:02 15 rural entrepreneurs tell their stories Preface In the publication “15 rural entrepreneurs tell their stories” the Provinciale Landbouw-kamer (Provincial Agricultural Chamber) of East-Flanders, Department Agriculture and Countryside lets rural entrepreneurs of the wide range of agricultural and horticultural businesses in East-Flanders, Belgium tell their stories. Starting from an economic point of view these managers talk passionately about their company or product. This publication is the East-Flemish version of the European Interreg IIIC project “PRAXIS: Making rural entrepre- neurship work”. PRAXIS aims at comparing strategies for rural policy in the various regions of the European Union. Pilot projects to stimulate the rural entrepreneurship have been set up, e.g. micro-enterprise start-ups in the countryside, looking at innovation and supporting diversifi cation – differentiation in agriculture and horticulture. In addition to this publication, a forum will be organized in 2007, where rural entrepreneurs will receive support and information in the domain of communication and innovation in view of developing their product or drawing up their business planning. In this publication we can only introduce a limited number of entrepreneurs. Through the provincial economical, agricultural and rural policy we want to create a liveable countryside, a pleasant place to live and to work in, to spend your time off and with respect for the environment and the countryside. We hope that when reading this publication you will be tempted to undertake creative and innovative actions in the countryside. Alexander Vercamer Member of the Provincial Executive in charge of Agriculture & Countryside Marc De Buck Member of the Provincial Executive in charge of External Relations January 2007 PRAXIS is a Europees Interreg IIIC project with the following partners: Essex County Council (UK), East of England Regional Assembly (UK), East of England Development Agency (UK), Business Link for Essex (UK), Writtle College (UK), Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen(BE), Provincie West-Vlaanderen (BE), Technological Institute of Aragon (ES), Picardy Regional Council (FR), Heraklion Development Agency (GR), Province of Mantua (IT), Province of South Holland (NL), Opolskie Voivodeship (PL), Pomeranian Association of Rural Municipalities (PL), Arad County Council (RO). PRAXIS-2007-EN.indd 2 21-12-2006 20:07:22 15 rural entrepreneurs tell their stories Table of contents Table of contents 3 Higher revenues, lower expenses - Pomidory bvba 4 Wind energy: farmer harvests electricity - Wase Wind cvba 6 The Battle for the Azalea. A survival strategy. - Dhaese A.&R. bvba 8 A green gateway to the future - Denis-Plants bvba 10 Staying at the Boskapelhoeve: international prestige - Boskapelhoeve 12 From cow to milk to farm ice cream. Learning on a farm. - De Vierhoekhoeve 14 The inspiring nature - De Volle Maan 16 A cabinet with milk - Marnix Alexander and Tonia Dhont 18 A Prize for Southern tomatoes… from Nevele! - NV Vlaemynck J & Zn 20 A watercress aperitif to your health! - Cressana bvba 22 Donkey farm De Hippomaan: Unique in Flanders! - De Hippomaan 24 Enjoying your strawberry ice-cream - De Valleihoeve 26 Investing in niche markets and countryside development - Hoeve Engelendael 28 Sheep grazing on the banks of the river Scheldt - Herman Verberckmoes 30 Mmm… delicious Meetjesland - Mmm...eetjesland cvba 32 Information 34 3 PRAXIS-2007-EN.indd 3 21-12-2006 21:28:15 15 rural entrepreneurs tell their stories Pomidory bvba Higher revenues, lower expenses SINT-GILLIS-WAAS – ON THE TOMATO FARM POMIDORY, RATIONAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION ORIGINATED A SECOND LINE OF BUSINESS. PRODUCING ITS OWN ENERGY IS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE HIGHER REVENUES AND LOWER EXPENSES. THE COMBINED HEAT AND POWER (CHP) SYSTEM USES NATURAL GAS TO GENERATE HEAT, ELECTRICITY AND CARBON DIOXIDE. ALTHOUGH THE TECHNIQUE AND THE ADVANTAGES HAVE BEEN KNOWN FOR YEARS, THE HORTICULTURE SECTOR DID NOT MAKE MUCH USE OF IT. THE RIGHT SIZE AND THE RIGHT PARTNER ARE IMPORTANT PRIOR CONDITIONS. ith the rising energy prices the heat produced. In order to avoid energy was needed. This meant a minimum Wgreenhouse farmers have to take losses due to transport, the installation cultivation area and a minimum heating additional cost-reducing measures. En- is set up on the site where the heat is need. Depending on these two parame- ergy costs already take up a large part needed for. ters, you can start combining. The lower of the total production costs. For tomato When Geert wanted to renovate and ex- limit for cultivating fruiting vegetables grower Geert De Breuck the combined pand his business, the combined heat is one and a half hectare. We are grow- heat and power (CHP) system seemed and power system seemed to be a re- ing tomatoes on an area of 27.500 m2, to be what he was looking for. It is a alistic choice. But that was easier said so that was OK. Then making technical cost-effective technique used to gen- than done … choices and sound arrangements with erate electricity and heat at the same the partners, is quite time-consuming, time. Compared with producing heat Minimum heat required but is extremely important to bring the and electricity separately, this system Although the principle of the CHP sys- project to a favourable conclusion. And realizes an energy savings of more than tem is well-known, Geert had to meet last but not least, the system produces 25 percent. Traditional energy producing many challenges. “For starters, to make energy which has to be sold on the mar- systems do not (effi ciently) utilize the the installation profi table, suffi cient heat ket on strict conditions.” The construction and exploitation of the combined heat and power system are based on a rather unusual cooperation. 4 PRAXIS-2007-EN.indd 4 21-12-2006 20:07:23 15 rural entrepreneurs tell their stories Pomidory bvba If all challenges are met at the same time, a combined heat and power system is cost-effective. Operating the generator set is still a hard time and the plants need the generated are winners. And fi nally we can now buy job. “Even with a perfectly operating CO2. The heat produced is then stored in the electricity at a favourable price.” CHP installation. An effi cient production a large buffer water tank of 850.000 li- Pomidory strives for sustainability, as requires our constant attention. Due to tres and used at night to keep the correct you can see in all the aspects of their op- the strict terms of contract, the loss of temperature. During the winter heating erational plan. Examples are the care for heat or unexpected fl uctuations in the needs are enormous and the installation employees, the disinfection and reuse electricity supply cost heaps of money.” runs continuously. And in extreme cir- of sprinkling water and the implementa- During the summer there is mainly day- cumstances a conventional natural gas tion of the landscape management plan time production; during the winter we burner connected to the buffer tank can in order to integrate the company in the use the installation during daytime and at generate additional heat.” countryside. night as well. “During the summer the electricity prices are higher during day- Sustainable effi ciency “It cost us quite some energy to fi nd the When you manage to meet all challenges proper solution. This is a relatively un- The construction and exploitation of simultaneously, a CHP system is a cost- known cooperative trade system in the the CHP system are based on a rath- effective solution. The tomato grower agricultural and horticultural sector. Find- er unusual cooperation. It involved an gets more heat for the same price.. ing the right partners, putting your trust in investment of € 1.20 million. Pomi- “I estimate about 10 % more. That is be- them, fi nalizing the technical designs… It dory cooperated with the American cause the partner can negotiate a ‘better” all costs a lot of trouble, time and money. Power Generation Constructor Cum- [lower] price of natural gas thanks to the But the result is good. The agreement mins. That company owns [83%] of bulk discount and because the effi ciency applies for fi fteen years, which assures the installation with 1500 kW electric of heat production generated by the CHP a stable cooperation. The tomato grower power and it is also responsible for system is higher.” Other advantages are can control the expenses better and the maintaining the installation and pur- the fl ue gasses. These are treated by revenues are spread… and also the envi- chasing the natural gas. Pomidory means of a catalyst. “Per unit of heat pro- ronment benefi ts from it. That’s perfect, invested [17%], purchases the heat duced there is twice as much CO2 avail- isn’t it?” production and the CO2 and a lim- able for the plants. This stimulates their ited share of the generated electric- growth and increases the production. So Pomidory bvba ity. The rest of the electricity is sold: the main part is used by the plants. The Geert and Nancy De Breuck the profi ts are divided amongst the possibility to use CO2 makes the cogen- Hoogstraat 10 investors. eration systems even more interesting. 9170 Sint-Gillis-Waas, Belgium Here both the economy and the ecology [email protected] 5 PRAXIS-2007-EN.indd 5 21-12-2006 20:07:40 15 rural entrepreneurs tell their stories Wase Wind cvba Wind energy: farmer harvests electricity TEMSE – WIND ENERGY IS A PURE ENERGY SOURCE, WHICH DOES NOT LEAVE ANY RESIDUAL CURRENTS IN OUR ENVIRONMENT. AND WIND IS ONE OF THE FEW OWN ENERGY SOURCES FLANDERS ABOUNDS IN. FARMER GEERT DE ROOVER WAS FULLY AWARE OF THIS AND AS HE WAS LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES FOR HIS OWN COMPANY, WIND TURBINES SEEMED TO BE THE PERFECT OPTION.
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